Anilox roller assemblies for applying a liquid to a cylinder are known. An example of one is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,809, issued Jun. 20, 1995 to Steven M. Person. An anilox roller has a series of very precise depressions or dimples which permit a liquid, such as a coating or ink, to be applied to the roller as the surface of the roller passes through a reservoir of the liquid and then transfer a controlled amount of the liquid to another cylinder, such as a delivery, printing or blanket cylinder.
The fluid reservoir is defined within a head having a cavity. A portion of the outer surface of the anilox roller is inserted within the cavity. Doctor blades extend from the head into contact with the outer surface of the anilox roller to seal the reservoir along the length of the roller and control the amount of liquid removed from the reservoir as the anilox roller rotates. However, ends of the anilox roller assembly must also be sealed. In the past, such sealing has been achieved by felt, foam and other resilient or compressible seal materials. However, these seals have proven troublesome in service, often having to be replaced every day. The felt or foam becomes squashed and no longer has sufficient resiliency to perform an effective sealing function.
A need exists for a better sealing mechanism between the ends of the anilox roller and the reservoir head. This mechanism should be reliable and long-lasting, while being economical to manufacture and use.